Question: What is the reward in “this world,” and what is the reward in the “future world”?

Answer: We learn that there is nothing beside lights (Orot) and vessels (Kelim). The reward in this world is the correction of the Kelim, while in the future world it is that I prepare them for the fulfillment that comes after the Machsom (barrier).

It is written: “I shall be filled with the reward of a commandment during my lifetime.” What does this mean? There are three kinds of reward: reward received immediately, on the spot; reward received while passing through the spiritual degrees; and reward received after the final correction. Everything depends on which kind of reward we are talking about.

The true reward is received in the true Kli, the desire to receive, that is, in the “stony heart” (Lev HaEven), which will be corrected only at the end of correction.

In our world, the reward means reaching a state in which the desire “does not let me sleep,” when I become “sick with love.” At this point, we are not yet talking about the desire for Lishma (for the sake of the Creator), but about the greatest Lo Lishma (for one’s own sake), through which I leap across the Machsom to the smallest degree of Lishma.

After the Machsom, the first spiritual degree is itself called “reward and punishment”: a person examines his Kli according to his sensation, and every action performed with the intention to bestow brings him an immediate result called reward. At present, we still cannot say that this is the case for us.

Thus, each time, reward and punishment change according to a person’s understanding. In reality, he always receives reward, but sometimes it is perceived by him as punishment, while at other times it is genuinely perceived as reward. But who knows in which case the perception is correct, and in which it is not? It is changeable. For us, in our present state, before the Machsom, we simply need to believe that everything we receive is a reward.

Indeed, if a person studies and structures their day so that everything they do is directed at drawing closer to the goal of creation, then everything they encounter along the way benefits their progress toward that goal. They already develop a personal relationship with the Creator, rather than the general relationship like that of the rest of humanity.

What is the difference? Humanity receives everything in a collective form: at the level of an entire nation, certain groups, or the masses. It is not an individual, specific person; rather, masses of people rise and fall together, and one can see how they are collectively influenced or brought down as a result of something. For us, however, this emerges from the general level of the masses and becomes personal. This refers to impressions, descents and ascents, and the nature of the relationship.

To the extent that these relationships are directed toward the Creator, they move beyond the scope of general governance and come under the domain of private providence, a personal relationship with the Creator. Consequently, both the person’s ascents and descents are directed toward advancing them toward the goal. Based on this, they should feel that everything happening to them is correct, regardless of their current state.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/4/26, Rabash, “The Klipa [Shell/Peel] that Precedes the Fruit”

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In the article “What Does It Mean that Oil Is Called “Good Deeds” in the Work?” again and again, Rabash emphasizes that as a person advances spirituality, concealment increases.

We know it from the story of the Egypt exile and the exodus. “And the people of Israel sighed from the work,” and then they stood before Pharaoh and went through the ten plagues, the ten blows, until they were rewarded with the exit from Egypt.

All these things tell us that concealment grows and obstacles multiply. We need a lot of patience to perceive these things as the correct result of our efforts. We know from our nature that the more we invest, the more we receive.  Yet here, because we must emerge from the desire to receive, the more effort we exert, the sense of emptiness within that desire must grow so that we may eventually rid ourselves of it.

Hence, according to one’s intellect, one can somehow understand, and maybe even sometimes justify this path, this process of spiritual development in a person that bears no resemblance to what we are used to in this world. To closer a person draws to spirituality, the more they see themselves as further from spirituality.

The more energy they invest, the more they see themselves losing. Consequently they feel drained of strength.  It goes against my nature: how can I exert effort only to receive in the end?  More effort and another blow? Who would ever want to work at all if the only result is a series of blows?

Eventually a person falls into despair and does not know what to do. Based on what they read and according to what they hear, they may somewhat agree with this process with their mind, that it is likely the way to break free from the desire to receive and reach the second nature. But what do we do?

It is stated beautifully and correctly, but is it actually feasible?  What is a person situated with the desire to receive supposed to do?

In truth, there is nothing for a person to do except acknowledge the greatness of the Creator. A person is incapable of doing this on their own, human nature possesses no such strength. A person can only be helped by the group by hearing how great the Creator is, that everything depends on Him, that this is His will, and that He is capable. This refers to the environment—the group, the Rav, and the books—everything surrounding a person. A person’s internal forces are incapable of achieving anything.

“And the children of Israel sighed from the work.” Here one needs to come to a state where truly it is “I and not a messenger.” Meaning, one needs to turn directly to the Creator and cry out and sigh. But it is not in a person’s strength to be able to do it by oneself, unless one is a virtuous one that is helped from above or is fortunate enough to find strength among the friends, in the group, the books, and the Rav.

Only then do they truly turn correctly to the Creator knowing that they have done everything possible and they realize their own powerlessness. They reach a state of despair. It is only through this despair that one fully surrenders oneself to the Creator’s will and allows the Creator to do whatever He pleases. Until a person clarifies exactly what the Creator demands and what He wants, a person cannot cross the Machsom (barrier).

The essence of our choice lies in shortening the path while we are in darkness and exile, a state where the further we advance, the more empty we feel. Rabash writes that during the Egyptian exile, a person might fill the Kli (vessel), but the vessel is riddled with holes and all the contents leak out. A person fills it again and once again the vessel is emptied once more.

A person exerts efforts, yet receives nothing from this labor. When realizes they no longer have any strength to do anything with this vessel, the only option remaining is to turn to the Creator to have it corrected.

How are the holes in a perforated vessel sealed? By means of a screen used for the sake of bestowal. Then the vessel becomes whole and complete. In other words, a “colander” turns into a “ladle.”
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/30/26, Rabash, “What Does It Mean that Oil Is Called ‘Good Deeds’ in the Work?”

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We are at a point that is absolutely opposite to the purpose of creation, and there is no more terrible and distant place from the Creator. We need to clarify what this place is and truly feel where we are actually situated, because as long as we do not realize this, we cannot really feel it. The true sensation of where we are begins from the Machsom and above.

Nevertheless, our work begins with the recognition of the evil of our present state. When a person begins this work, it does not matter whether he received a religious or secular upbringing, whether he is intelligent or not; it does not matter how developed he is intellectually, emotionally, or sensitively.

After some time, the surrounding light begins to work on him, and he begins to feel his state in relation to this light, meaning his desire to receive, which is opposite to the light in every quality.

Then the person begins to experience a feeling of being divided. On one hand, he already somewhat feels the divine, not yet in itself but through the surrounding illumination. On the other hand, he sees how opposite he is to spirituality. And this is despite the fact that his conception of spirituality is very far from what it actually is. And what it actually is is billions of times greater than anything one can imagine!

Nevertheless, he feels something of spirituality, while at the same time he sees himself as opposite even to the most minimal conception of spirituality. And each time, the gap between the sensation of spirituality and him grows.

A person perceives everything solely based on his sensations. We can say that we are sensing beings, while our brain is intended only for the “decoding” of sensations. It was created in order to make the best possible use of sensations and to fulfill the desire to receive.

The desire to receive is the creation, while the brain is an auxiliary system for fulfilling this desire. Therefore, when a person feels bad, the intellect can practically do nothing to help him emerge from this state. Of course, he should tell himself that “my bad feeling is connected to the fact that I am now seeing the true picture, which I did not see before.” But all these wise thoughts do not really have much effect on us, because the feeling rules over us.

We need to accumulate a great deal of experience so as not to react emotionally to descents, not to relate to them based on our feelings, but to accept them in a useful form and work with them, understanding that the more a person advances toward becoming a servant of the Creator, the more evil he sees in himself, and the weaker and worse he feels.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/4/26, Rabash, “The Klipa [Shell/Peel] that Precedes the Fruit”

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Question: How can you annul before a friend when you are moving toward the goal and your ego is growing?

Answer: I can annul myself before a friend only if I understand that I have no other choice but to be connected with him. If I am in a commando unit where we really depend on each other and I understand that connecting with others is a matter of life and death, then I have no problem annulling before them.

There have been several times when my life depended on other people, and I annulled before them and felt joy in doing so. For example, in a hospital, a man comes to me and says that he will give me anesthesia, cut up my body, do something to it, “fix” it, and then I will be healthy. By doing so, he will save my life. I would kiss his hands and pay him money if only he would.

I want to be this man’s friend, because he brings me back to life. That is, my ego works in the opposite way; it drives me to build a friendly relationship with him. My egoism looks for a way to do something good for this person if only he would save me.

I have had other similar experiences. I learn from them. Or, for example, you see an employee you depend on. Naturally, you want to be his friend. Or my daughter comes to me to ask for money. At this moment, I am her friend. She does not need me afterward.

And that is correct; this is normal egoism. I have to depend on someone. I need an inner awareness, a feeling that “without him, I will not achieve it, I will not make it.” This is hard.

Comment: But if you see this is a mistake…

My Response: The importance of the goal obliges me to annul before a friend. It matters more than my ego or my personal life, and I cannot just stay at home. For me, the most important thing is to reach the goal. Therefore, I annul myself, as in that simple example with the doctor.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/24/26, Rabash, “What “Israel Do the Creator’s Will” Means in the Work”

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